Headed to the beach for some rest and relaxation? California residents won’t have to travel too far to hit some of the best in the country.
Southern California beaches made a couple of appearances on Travel + Leisure’s list of top 25 beaches in the United States, with San Diego’s Coronado Beach coming in at No. 3 and Santa Monica Beach scoring the No. 12 spot.
The best in the nation is Poipu Beach in Kauai, Hawaii, according to the magazine.
But don’t confine your search to SoCal and Hawaii, however, as the top 10 list also includes gems found in states not famous for their beaches, such as Maryland, Oregon, Washington, Illinois and Nevada.
Sand, waves, the level of seclusion, accessible parking, and even the number of shaded trees factored into the rankings.
See the top 10 beaches mentioned in the report below:
- Poipu Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
- Ocean City, Maryland
- Coronado Beach, San Diego, California
- Pope Beach, Lake Tahoe, Nevada
- Clearwater Beach, Clearwater, Florida
- Harris Beach, Oregon
- Glass Beach, Port Townsend, Washington
- Oak Street Beach, Chicago, Illinois
- Carlsmith Beach, Hilo, Hawaii
- Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
Also on the list were Carmel Beach in Carmel-by-the-Sea and Pope Beach, on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe.
The complete list of the nation’s top 25 beaches can be found on Travel + Leisure’s site.